Homeboys

One can hear and feel the keening from the anguished soul of Frank del Olmo as he writes about yet another shooting death in his hometown of Pacoima (“Homeboys and Heroes,” Editorial Pages, July 30). He reminisces that growing up in Pacoima he was supposed to “hate guys from San Fernando just because they were from San Fer. . . .” Erroneously, I believe, he attributes the problem to poverty and racism. But it’s really much broader than that.

All over the world, encouraged by national leaders, we grow up learning to hate “the other guy,” and to relieve that emotion by shooting and killing. In this country the problem is exacerbated by the easy access to guns; the gun lobby, encouraged by state and national leaders, is so much stronger than the gun-control lobby! And as a nation we are arming and spending ourselves into bankruptcy by trying to outgun the Soviet Union--which is apparently falling into the same trap. Again, our military-industrial lobby is so much stronger than our civilian-peace lobby.

Before it is too late--and the clock is ticking--we must rethink. Violence creates only more violence, both in neighborhood gang warfare and in international confrontations. The weapons are such that the innocent--in fact all civilization--could be victims.

Thus, whether the causes be poverty and racism, or the misunderstanding of international competition, it is essential that we begin today to change our way of thinking: Conflicts can be settled without mindless killing. We must let our legislators know that guns and warfare are no longer either useful or effective ways of solving problems, and they must be discarded--forever!

JAMES SCHERR

Studio City